Withering
by cuddlySloth
Summary: AU. Shu/Yui. The lamb that was once loved and blessed is now branded as an outlaw for betraying her own church and murdering the abbot: her own father. Death misses her throat by a few inches when she unwittingly awakens a cynical blond youth from his coffin; he's as cheery as a graveyard, and he wishes she'd left him alone in the first place...
1. Awakening

**A/N:** …To tell you the truth, I don't know what the hell I just wrote. XD. One day, I just started watching Diabolik Lovers videos and a bunch of vampire stuff and fanficiton, and then blam. This shit happened. Okay, so this is purely experimental. I've never written anything about vampire love stories or whatnot, but hey, there's a first time for everything!

I'm just hoping I haven't totally failed at writing this. Ahem, so anyway.

Overall, I do like Yui, but she kind of came across as an airhead, especially in the anime. She's cute in the Otome games, but I'm just not all that crazy about her being abused and treated like shit more than half the time by most of the bachelors. I detest all of the Mukami brothers and most of the Sakamaki brothers. I'D ABSOLUTELY PERSONALLY IMPALE A STAKE THROUGH KARL HEIZ MYSELF IF NOT FOR THE FACT HE IS A CENTRAL PART IN THE GAMES.

Yui= Bella

Shu= Edward

Ayato= Jacob

... Just kidding. I'll die before I write about some ripoff romance based off Twilight. I will also never unintentionally create a dumb heroine like Bella. Boo.

_Italics represent-_ Special text, Yui's thoughts.

**Bold- ?**

* * *

Once upon a time, there lived a mild girl.

She was the daughter of a respected abbot and was raised within the strong walls of a grand monastery. She grew up to be a happy child, as she often trailed after her father who went out to perform daily rounds.

The parishioners decided that she would lead the monastery to new heights as the next abbess. Her village called her an angel, but it wasn't really because of her heavenly mannerisms or pale appearance, no. It was because she had uncanny good luck, and it seemed wherever she went, good things would happen. She was eventually sought after by many people who visited her village, wishing to be "blessed".

Rumor had it that she possessed a remarkable power gifted by God.

Curiosity centered itself in the girl's heart, and she often wondered what the world looked like outside her tiny village, but fear had also manifested in her mind. She instinctively understood that there were scarier things than being pushed in the mud or having her hair pulled. Bad people existed outside the monastery. She feared leaving her father's side, and she feared the stoic-faced visitors that passed through her village, often wielding bloody knives or bandaged limbs. She hid her face in her father's robes, and she feared even the villagers even though they talked to her with smiles on their eager faces.

_Somehow, I could sense their true thoughts. If I looked into a person's eyes, I'd become overwhelmed by the haunting and repulsive images that plagued their minds. I never liked looking into a person's eyes; sometimes I could see nothing but darkness._

She trembled even when her father assured her that the sisters here could be trusted, assured that while bad things existed in the world, there were also very kind and loving people who wished to befriend her, and so, the little girl was put at ease.

She did see beautiful things in travelers' minds and marveled at what she saw through their own eyes, wishing to see those sights for herself. Time went on, and the church council became immensely dissatisfied with her growth.

"What a worldly little child," the nuns would whisper, "It's unnerving how she stares out that window for hours."

"What a cowering little girl. She can hardly speak up," the council would grumble.

She knew what was expected of her, and she didn't want to disappoint anyone. They all scrutinized her with piercing eyes, waiting for something, and she was afraid. But she didn't try to be brave and hid behind her father's robes, and her father would always protect her.

And so the little girl thought she could hide forever.

* * *

Old towns were often popular with tourists; their conservative buildings and ancient ways to entertain people drew many in. Unorva was no different; it was a small village with an even smaller population, somewhat ignorant to other countries advancing their technology. People lived simple lives here, which could be seen as a good thing, but at the same time, outsiders sometimes looked down on their simple-mindedness and view on the world as a whole.

The piano music resonated darkly, followed by a woman's sultry singing. The lyrics were playful in a suggestive way, and the provocative words were enough to make the patrons smirk flirtatiously at the singer.

A hooded figure sat in the booth at the very back, well-hidden by the shadows and activity bustling around her. She, in effort to appear collected, slumped over the table and kept her face hidden as she patiently for her drink. She tried not to squirm in her seat when she heard the sound of a frying pan crashing against a lecherous patron's head, causing all the men to laughingly holler when the body slumped to the floor. The angry barmaid fumed as she ordered a burly man to throw him out, pointing to the door with the frying pan.

"Heh heh. Darling's feistier than usual today."

"Heard she broke up with that stable boy. He's been sleeping around, I hear."

"Gah, no wonder she's in bad spirits."

Rain fell like a dreary waterfall that evening, drowning everything around the inn secluded by a seemingly endless forest. There was something strange about the place; a sinister air somehow plagued the place.

Maybe it was because of the jagged iron fencing, guarding the perimeter like devil's knives ready to slice open whoever dared touch the place.

Maybe it was how bats flitted past shrubbery and raced past the sullen statues in the dying garden, their hellish cackling resonating in the night. In a sense, it was like the Devil himself released them from Hell to torment the peace.

Maybe it was because of how the architecture's shadows would resemble twisted monsters when lightning pierced the gray sky… (though it couldn't compare to the real monsters that lurked within the mansion).

Or was it the bad-blooded men who served as regulars?

Nah.

It had to be… because of _them._

Those men had been watching her for hours, and the situation didn't look good now. The young woman swallowed, beads of sweat running down her flushed neck. Even as she turned to look out the window, she could still feel their gazes penetrating her back like knives, watching her every move.

The girl turned her head to the window, watching their reflections as they continued to stare at her while drinking. She caught a glimpse of blades hidden in their undercoats as they pawed for their money. Chills ran down her spine as one of them slammed a knife on the table rather violently, pinning an exact location on their map. They murmured among themselves, occasionally glancing up now and then. She stiffened anxiously and pulled her coat closer to her body in effort to warm herself better from the chills.

"Hunter, I have a job for you. It pays well." It took all her willpower to repress a scream when someone behind growled right near her ear. Instead, she quickly turned and faced a shady man twice her age flashing his yellow teeth at her. She assumed he was wealthy, judging by the quality of his clothes and his pot belly. He sat down and quickly ordered food from a waitress before turning back to his company, grinning like a shark. He looked far too clean cut and confident to be one of the regulars here. "You're fresh out of the country, so it looks like you're in business, eh? You have a pretty blade there." He gestured to the intricate short sword at her belt. It belonged to her late mother: a precious keepsake.

What? Oh no…

Fresh blood shone on the mantle. Forgetting to clean her blade after aiding a wounded animal was something she overlooked when she caught a whiff of steaming dishes from this seedy tavern, making her mouth water and beckoning her inside, only to find that she didn't even have enough money for a measly stew.

No wonder more people kept giving her those nervous glances and suspiciously dirty looks than usual… Her disguise and bloody keepsake…

She looked like a dangerous person, after all.

A murderer, even.

Her mouth watered at the sight of hot dishes placed on the table, its aroma seeping into her nostrils and causing her stomach to unsettle almost painfully. Reaching for one of the baked yams, she could've had her fingers stabbed by a greedy fork if she hadn't jerked away in time.

The merchant spoke between pig-like bites, "News travels fast in small towns, but there's this popular story going on for awhile. There's been a massacre in St. Hayes; it's a tiny village just twenty miles down southwest. The townsfolk are looking for this girl," He asked, picking his teeth with his fork while chortling. He unrolled a tattered wanted poster. A picture of her own face stared back at her, and she couldn't help but read the listed details below. The words were crudely faded but noticeable nonetheless.

WANTED:

**YUI KOMORI, **previously a sister of St. Hayes Church

Alive- 600,000 G

Dead- 150,000 G

Description: Average height, pink eyes, fair-haired

Abilities: Unknown

Crime: Murderer of beloved Abbot Seiji and benefactor of the St. Hayes Cathedral

It pained her to read the accusing text, even if it was faded with age. Yui bit her lip to hold back her tears and angrily looked up at the man, taking relief that her face was concealed, and shook her head.

The man's eyes narrowed in slight disbelief. He studied her critically for a few moments before throwing a bag of money on the table, coins spilling over the plates. "We'll split the reward. This is an extra advance."

Yui stood up from the booth and headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" A sword blocked her exit. Yui tensed, muscles quivering for a quick getaway. Seedy strangers rarely talked to each other, which was the sole reason she dressed like one in the first place. No one would dare cross paths with a sheep in wolf's clothing, so having someone directly confront her like this definitely wasn't a good sign.

It was even worse when said bad sign had grisly teeth and rippling muscles, and blessed (or cursed, in Yui's opinion) with a giant's height that could turn ordinary men into frightened mice. He looked like a feared regular here, which meant trouble for her. Yui forced herself to take deep, even breaths. M-Maybe he'd mistaken her for someone else…?

She immediately backed away and collided into something hard and burly. It was one of the men watching her earlier, and a flash of recognition burned in his eyes.

"You…"

More men circled her, drawing their weapons. They closed their distance and trapped her like a cornered rabbit, and she had nowhere to run. These men, these wolves… she could _feel_ their hunger rolling off them in waves of intensity.

Soon, the music stopped and patrons started looking their way.

Quivering, she drew back with shaky steps until her hip met another table. She reluctantly drew her knife with one hand beneath the folds of her cloak while the other groped the table for something-_anything-!_

A beer bottle.

Mentally praying to the man upstairs for mercy and forgiveness, she flung the bottle across the tavern, and it crashed on top of the head of the angriest, most surliest and mean-tempered drunk of them all. Glass shattered, followed by a horrible scream. A chorus of frightened and awed cries immediately sounded before a violent roar shook the roof.

"WHO IN SEVEN HELLS THREW THAT?!"

Yui immediately took off running and almost smiled in relief. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw "Darling", the vengeful barmaid, point her frying pan in the direction of the nasty men who'd been scaring away precious regulars all week. The affronted drunk immediately returned the favor. The men's rising tempers was like fire on oil, and Yui slipped away from the escalating chorus of a full-out bar brawl. She caught a glimpse of the shady man as she fled.

She couldn't stay any longer. She needed to go quickly to the next town!

The rain punished her as soon as she ran out onto the streets, causing her to get soaked and lightheaded. Some people didn't appear bothered at all as they simply walked with hooded expressions like the scary undead described in one of Father's old books.

Blood raced to her brain as she frantically made her way to the supply shop a few buildings down the road. Though all she wanted to do was slink away and hide, her coin purse barely weighed a feather against her hip; she needed money, and it'd been days since she'd sat down and had a proper meal.

"Evening to you!" The clerk behind the counter waved cheerfully, not appearing the least bit bothered when Yui came in, leaving puddles everywhere due to her wet attire. She vaguely remembered him offering "other bargains" to shady customers a few days back. As usual, she nodded and promptly made a beeline for the bins of food nearing their expiration date. She grabbed all the bare basics for survival before dumping the lot on the counter.

"Heh. I was just about to throw these out to the rats out back. You sure you want these?" the clerk asked as he rang up all her purchases. Yui nodded briefly and drummed her fingers on the counter to hurry the chatty clerk along. If only these newly hires would learn to just ask less imposing questions. A cold chill suddenly ran down her spine, and she immediately turned around to look at an empty, swinging door.

Thunder crashed, and lightning roared, revealing a silhouette of three men wielding knives in the opposite entrance.

Yui's eyes widened, but when she blinked again, they were gone. It was probably just a coincidence, but her recently developed paranoia and grating her nerves were telling her otherwise.

It was time to get going.

She paid the clerk and left for the main bridge. After paying the toll, she pulled the dark cloak around her body and broke into a silent run. She didn't stop until the first traces of forest had thickened to a dense thicket. By then, the moon had risen high and shone bright like a smiling diamond through the branches. Her legs ached from the exertion of evading her pursuers as deftly as possible. She needed rest soon…

* * *

Yui lost track of time and spent hours wandering west until she could make out the sun's rays barely starting to break over the horizon. She finally stopped at a sturdy tree that had yet to completely lose its summer leaves. She immediately burrowed into an empty hole concealed by arching roots and dead leaves. She was miraculously small enough to fit snugly, and she immensely praised her Savior for this unforeseen blessing.

She settled herself on the soft, cool earth and tucked her brown cloak around her knees. The coolness of the night hinted summer's end, allowing her burning muscles to relax after today's hectic chase. After eating a piece of cheese, Yui fell into a dreamless escape.

It only felt like a few minutes later when she opened her eyes again, drowsy and trying to blink the watery sunlight from her vision. She crawled out of the hole, appearing like a small creature she truly was. Walking around, she yawned and stretched her limbs to the graying sky.

Aughh… it was going to rain again.

Yui pouted slightly, sighing as she threw her hood back, allowing wisps of light hair to blow in the wind. She spun around several times to test her recover and let out another contented sigh. There weren't many opportunities when she could simply relax just like this. A lone bird chirped, and it was scolded by a chattering squirrel. Yui slowly eased up. The sounds of a waking forest could never lose its magic.

Smiling to herself, she wondered if she'd be lucky enough to find and bath in a small stream nearby. Ah, but before that she needed to stretch her calves one last time. It'd be a pain if they started acting up again. Throwing her entire body weight into a downward dog, she was about to enter a state of a limp noodle until something sharp shot past her head, grazing her hair a few centimeters.

**PLICK.**

Yui gasped.

_An arrow._

In her current vision, she barely had time to react when two more arrows whizzed her way. Bolting to her left, she barely managed to avoid them until a piercing rippled in her ear, causing her muscles to scream. In her own panic, she hadn't noticed a third arrow had managed to graze her ear. She stumbled and recoiled in fear when she caught glimpses of shadows past the trees.

She ran.

Pushing blindly through brushes and brambles, having arrows whiz past her was more than enough to lift her skirts and run like the devil himself. She could faintly hear hoof beats pounding against the rocks in the distance and frightfully picked up her pace.

Dogs howled in the distance, making her wish she had one of her own to guard her, save her… help her!

Fog closed in around her. She'd been running so frantically that she could barely see where she was going and tripped over a root, causing her body to spiral out of control as she tumbled down a small cliff, landing on her stomach with a sharp gasp of pain. Her arms ached as she tried to get back up.

Angry yells echoed just a few yards away. They were getting close!

She whirled around, trying to find a new place to hide. Then her eyes fell on a stone staircase, padded with moss, leading to an underground crypt, its ominous door mysteriously open. Gasping in pain, she managed to get to her feet and enter the crypt.

Darkness surrounded her, and a cold draft whistled from below as she ran downstairs. Grabbing a one of the torches from the wall, she made her way down. Upon arriving at a chamber, she found herself at a lost seeing three different gates leading to the unknown.

W-Which one should she take?

Footfalls ascended from the stairwell, followed by frantic barking and the clinking of swords.

"She's down here! I know she is!"

"Hurry up! Don't let her escape!"

Yui's heart jumped to her throat, and she blew out her torch and abandoned it. Without a second thought, she headed for the middle path. Her breathing became gasping pants as she dashed down towards a chained pedestal.

"The road's split three ways! We've lost her!"

"Which way could she've gone?!"

"Split up and find her, you idiots! I'm not paying you to just stand there!"

The chains that supported the pedestal rattled under her weight, creaking and groaning. She leaned against a table for support, trying to catch her breath. The glow of the men's torches came closer. Having her knees give way, it wasn't until the light hit that she realized there was a skeleton sitting right next to her.

"…!" Leaping to her feet, her back crashed against a pile of caskets, spilling glass vials over and attracting noise. Her hand hit the level coincidentally, and the chains immediately began dragging the pedestal down with a heavy groan. The men with blazing torches turned to her location.

"What was that?"

The wind rushed upwards, rippling through her clothes. Yui clung to the table and watched the lights fade from above as she, screaming soundlessly, felt everything falling around her, plummeting into a bottomless pit.

Suddenly, the pedestal jerked to a halt, sending Yui crashing to the ground with a pained grunt. She struggled to her feet again and found herself gazing down at a large, circular platform floating in the middle of a lake. Drips of water echoed in the cavern and onto the gargoyle statues. Skeletons floating quietly along the lake's surface.

Yui found herself entranced by the gloomy architecture around her. She crossed the bridge that led to the floating platform. Never in her life had she seen such craftsmanship, it was unlike the buildings depicted in the stories she read. Her eyes shone with wonder at the treasure chests that littered the steps, and she had to step over mountains of gold and jewelry to avoid falling; it was a burglar's paradise. She wanted to touch everything around her but found herself unable; it all looked too dangerous.

Instead, she directed her attention towards the triangular pedestal in the center. Slowly, she approached it and found ancient lettering, faded from age:

_"Blood of only the purest divine will awaken the hellish creature_

_who slumbers underneath like a mine."_

Her hands traced the faded lettering, running her fingers over a strange bloodstain on the tablet until a needle shot out like a rattlesnake, pricking her hand and immediately drawing blood.

Yui immediately reeled away, clutching her wounded hand as if she'd touched a griddle over roaring fire. Breathing heavily, she looked at her hand to examine the wound. A dizzying sensation overwhelmed her senses, and she clutched her head.

How strange, she was beginning to feel lightheaded…

Lost in her own confusion, she hadn't noticed the pedestal glowing and rising to reveal a stone monolith emerging from underground. The entire platform transformed into a more elevated area, complete with stone pillars and gargoyles perched on jagged arches. A blue aura emitted around the area, adding further to her bewilderment.

Unbeknownst to her, someone was already approaching her from behind while wielding a sword. In an instant, an arrow sliced through the air and cut deep into her left leg. Fresh blood stained the stone floor red.

Yui cried out wordlessly when large shadows loomed ominously above her trembling, lithe form. She frantically scooted away until her back hit the monolith. Fear clawed deep into her lungs, cutting off her ability to breathe, and her limbs became useless as she tried to get up, only to stagger when another arrow barely missed her head by a few inches.

A sharp prick of pain gripped her ankle as she rolled to her foot. Yui sweated, gasped, and clutched her bleeding calf. With her other hand, she kept a tight grip on her short sword. Running was no longer available to her. She let out a shuddering breath and bravely met the eyes of her captors.

All three hunters followed her easily to the ground.

The leader held up both hands up in a show of harmlessness and walked towards her. His peaceful action might have been effective if his eyes weren't so full of contempt. Yui whimpered and backed away. His footsteps sounded odd, and then the leader's eyes darted suspiciously behind her. She whirled around to find the clerk, who had discarded his uniform and traded it for a much darker and prestigious outfit, akin to a noble's. He kept his wide grin though it changed from the feigned pleasantness of a merchant to that of a triumphant predator. His eyes ran up and down her exposed thighs, and he licked his lips, immediately making Yui feel violated.

Brows knitted with fright and desperation, she whipped her mother's knife from its sheath and pointed it to her intruders, alert and eying their every move. Her calf throbbed in tandem with her pounding heart. Their eyes pinned her to the ground, immobilizing any strength that she had left.

There was nowhere left to run.

A sharp slap was delivered to her hand, forcing the knife out of her grip, replaced with a blunt of a blade caressing her throat, and a deep chuckle escaped from the clerk-turned-noble, who grinned wolfishly down at her. He grabbed her chin and forced it upwards so their eyes could meet in a searing haze.

"Sister Yui." he drawled, "I respectfully apologize for the rough treatment you suffered back at the tavern. The men I hired aren't exactly… gentle, but they get their jobs done if you know what I mean." He unfurled the wanted poster at her feet once more. Yui didn't dare make a sound, afraid of what might happen if she even breathed. Her hood had completely detached itself, now lying in a rumpled heap next to spilled bag of supplies. She still had cloth obscuring the lower half of her face. Most people probably hadn't known she was female since she hadn't spoken to anyone in this region since the incident.

"One month ago, the church you loved and cherished deeply turned against you, as you are… budding into a lovely thing…" The man sighed as he caressed the side of her face, making her bristle and stiffen in retaliation, and she tried to turn away, only to have her chin roughly grabbed.

"They sold you to me that night. To me, your new master." The man purred, "Poor little thing. You had no idea what was coming to you, did you? Betrayed by your own sisters and the father who raised you in chastity?" The other men stood silently, looking off into the distance, totally detached to the current predicament.

Yui squirmed and struggled with all her might, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to yank her arms back. She couldn't stop the cry that escaped her raw throat when she was suddenly pushed back into the ground, her wrists pinned above her head.

Lust burned in his eyes as the man once again allowed his eyes to roam her now revealed figure underneath the cloak that disguised her curves and slender hips.

"…Mm. After all this time, you still wear clothes of a sanctified believer? Are you that foolish or do you still blindly follow the path that you believe will be your salvation? Huh…" His fingers traced the curve of her stomach, causing her stomach to knot and twist in disgust. "But in truth, you really are… a two-faced killer though, aren't you?"

Bitterness exploded in her throat even as she tried to swallow her tears, uttering broken noises as she kept struggling, her hair clung to her sweaty forehead.

"The rosary you always carried recently appeared at a pawnshop nearby," the master grimaced. Her confusion must have shown through her body language. "The seller was a girl fitting your description." Yui trembled, her mind swirling in bewilderment. She had lost the rosary after a near-fatal fight with a burglar weeks ago. She'd never sell that rosary! Not on her life! Because it had precious meaning to her! It was a gift from her father. It couldn't have been her.

"This belongs to you, doesn't it?" The noble pulled the rosary from underneath his cuff, letting the jeweled cross dangle across her face. The jewels glittered in a stray beam of sunlight that made it past the trees. The reflected light blinded Yui, and for a moment, she thought she saw the form of her father's hand grasping the beads and offering it towards her. She reached for the memory of that hand.

Her trance was immediately shattered when the noble pulled it out of her range with a sneer, interpreting her action for defiance. Yui felt her chest tighten. The irresponsibility of losing that cross had hurt her deeply. She needed it back.

"You might be wondering how we managed to find you." As if sensing her budding curiosity along with her fear, he continued, "Like I said, I only hire the best. You've evaded me for far too long, miss Komori, and it's been really annoying. The moment I get a lead, you slip away from my fingers…"

He then grabbed her wrist, tugging her forcibly for them to look at each other face to face.

"No more running. I bought you at a hefty price, and thereby, you belong to me." He growled sinisterly in her ear. "I don't care how much bounty there's on your head; I paid more for you than what those bigots offered, and I'm not about to let you go." There was no comparison between being forced into slavery or meeting an untimely end by execution. Sensing her dread by her newly formed tears, he jeeringly swung the rosary in front of her face like a pendulum. "Don't weep, pretty thing. By the time we get home, I'll be sure to ease that pain of yours…" he licked his lips darkly and moved to caress her thigh again, "… in a way that will have you begging for more."

Frost formed in her heart, and her blood ran cold. She didn't even want to imagine the horror that awaited her if she went with this man.

This isn't fair. It wasn't right!

The man moved fully on top of her, and she could see her horrified, quavering expression reflected in his hollow pupils. She grabbed fistfuls of dirt, quivering violently.

She hadn't done anything wrong! Why wouldn't anyone believe her back then?! To have Father turn up dead and then to have fingers pointed at her. She was then condemned into being sold like an animal by the church officials themselves.

"You're all mine now…" the man chuckled evilly, tracing her earlobe with his tongue like a snake ready to devour his prey.

_So painful… at this rate, I'll-!_

"_**KILL HIM. KILL THEM ALL."**_ A venomous voice ordered in her head, surging her senses to overdrive. Her head started pounding erratically. **"KILL THEM BEFORE THEY KILL YOU!"**

Something snapped inside her, and the air around them suddenly grew heavy and cold. Yui grabbed his arm violently, staring at him with blazing red eyes that knifed into his brain, sending millions of bolts of pain down his body and causing his insides to cave. The master choked up and hit the ground. All the other men were affected and writhed on the ground, painfully choking and gasping out as if they were having nightmares.

Yui immediately broke out of her trance, gasping at the screaming men at her feet. Her eyes fell on her shaking hands, which pulsed with a strange, tingling sensation.

Not this again!?

_No!_

Why did this always happen to her…!

Their awful screaming put Yui in a horrible trance, causing her to relive memories she thought she'd locked away years ago. Blood and dead bodies burned into her eyes, and she covered her ears to keep herself from hearing their screaming. She backed away, trying to will her legs to run, but she couldn't tear her eyes off their tormented bodies. Her throat went dry, and her hands went numb.

Then, something akin to a low grumble resonated throughout the cavern.

"Ugh… so noisy."

She sensed movement behind her and slowly turned around. It came from the recently emerged monolith. A lone blue eye stared at her through a large crevice. More cracks appeared on the monolith and soon crumbled, allowing a strangely dressed man to stumble out.

"Ughhh…" Rubbing his head, he appeared to be more annoyed than in actual pain as he lazily looked over the situation. "What an annoying commotion." His eyes then fell on the trembling girl, "Aah… you there. What's with that scared look?" When she didn't answer, he narrowed his eyes and studied her, noticing the gash on her leg and the fallen weapons the men used.

Yui quivered wildly, clutching onto a beam for support.

The strange man cocked his head and rose to his feet with a deep sigh, "…I thought I woke up trapped in hell; your demonic screaming is making my ears bleed. Will you shut up?" He grimaced when the men kept at it, eyes narrowing. Footfalls resonated as he stormed over. Yui watched in horror as he grabbed and slammed the men's heads against the stone, effectively silencing them. "Finally. Peace and quiet." He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He glanced back at the spot where the girl once stood, only to find empty space.

Meanwhile, Yui had already snuck off back to the stairs, limping across the dimly lit tunnel. She looked behind her shoulder, panting.

It was a good thing she'd managed to get away sooner… who knows what would've happened if that guy turned on her.

"…Oi."

Whirling her head back, she came face to face with a pair of piercing blue eyes. Someone roughly grabbed her shoulder and flung her against the wall with brute strength. With a voiceless gasp, she instinctively shielded her face and cowered.

H-HOW IN THE WORLD HAD HE CAUGHT UP TO HER SO QUICKLY?

She hadn't even heard him coming!

A few moments of silence passed between them as the man studied her critically. His gaze was cold and penetrative as if he could see directly through her. She didn't like this feeling one bit. His cold finger stroked across her throat, and he leaned close to her face.

Yui cringed when his cold breath whistled down her neck, and he started sniffing her like some of kind bloodhound. Too frightened to even breath, she just stood there rigidly. No matter what she tried, she couldn't get her body to move.

"So you're responsible for waking me up so rudely." His icy breath hit her ear, followed by a deep chuckle. The poor girl shivered, ducking her head the other way to avoid looking at him. "Your horrid smell… was so overwhelmingly powerful you forced me out of a nice nap. What a horrible woman you are." With that, he nipped her wounded ear, rewarded with her soft gasp of pain. "Mmm… tasty."

Yui pushed him back, teary-eyed and trembling as she wrapped her arms around herself. She glared at him through stinging eyes, trying to not let her terror show anymore.

Apparently, this display had startled the mysterious man to halt his actions. Instead, he allowed his eyes to run up and down her body.

"You're very… small." He quietly commented, glancing at her bruises and shaking form. For a moment, she thought she saw his face soften somewhat, but his impassive expression reappeared when she blinked. "You can't even speak, can you?" Though the way he spoke so nonchalantly made it sound like a statement rather than an actual question.

He was answered by her silence.

"Hmm… well. Too bad for you, I guess." He yawned, shrugging his stiff shoulders before abruptly grabbing Yui's wrist. She nearly stumbled from the sudden pull and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to loosen his hold and break free.

Instead of being struck or pushed down, she witnessed something surprising. The blonde man pushed a jagged stone further into the wall, causing the entire chamber to rumble as a secret passage revealed itself. He continued to surprise her by nudging her into the tunnel.

Confused, she dared to steal a questioning glance at him.

"It's tiresome to keep explaining things to a senseless little child. This tunnel leads directly to the exit, so get going if you want to preserve your life a little longer." The man sighed, slumping against the wall and yawning.

Yui hesitated, doubt flickering in her chest. As if sensing her confusion, he rolled sideways and sighed again.

"All that commotion back there is because of you. If another one happens, I'm never going to get some rest. So, leave." He pulled a strange device from underneath his shirt; it appeared to be a rectangular box attached to twin cords. He placed the twin cords in both ears and started nodding off.

Cautiously, Yui approached him and gave him another confused gesture by pointing to his strange device. Marveled by how it flashed colors and produced melodic noises, she couldn't suppress her curiosity.

"Mm? You've never seen this before? It's just an MP3." He propped his elbow against his knee and tilted his head at her, eyes narrowing, "Then again… I keep forgetting humans are far behind when it comes to technology. Something like this probably comes across as magic to you, hm?"

Her coral eyes widened upon the lettering that ran across the screen. She'd been lucky to learn how to read and write from her father at a young age; some children from her village never made it past a single book.

OWNER:

SHU SAKAMAKI

Hesitantly, she pointed from the bottom text to the mysterious man in front of her, prodding for an answer.

"Shu. That's my name." he sighed and batted her hands away, "Can you go somewhere else now? I'm losing more energy just talking to you."

Shu…

Shu.

A one word syllable, and it was very simple to say. Yui glanced over at the other chamber were the hunters were before glancing at the secret tunnel.

Just one time.

She took a deep breath.

"S…h… sh…"

Shu glanced up, raising a brow.

A wave of self-consciousness overwhelmed Yui when his eyes fell on her. Despite her nervousness, she wetted her lips and cleared her throat, "Sh… Shh…!" Her raw throat tightened upon her attempting to speak, and she swallowed multiple times. "Shh… shh…"

Shuu's lips quirked upwards slightly, "Hmm..." He seemed amused.

Horribly embarrassed, she turned away. Her face burned beet red at her failed attempt, and she felt his intense gaze burning a hole on her back. Still, she kept trying.

After several minutes of watching her vain attempt at trying to speak, Shu stood up and brushed past Yui, the clink of his chains hitting his boots as he strode towards the tunnel. He looked over his shoulder, regarding her with a neutral expression.

"It's ironic to see the noisy person telling the sleepy person to quiet down." He remarked coolly before shoving his hands into his pockets, "If you're not going to leave, then I will." She watched his form gradually disappear into the dark, and the sound of his footsteps began to fade.

Yui stared after his retreating form, wondering who he was. Everything about him seemed strange; his clothes, his demeanor, and the way he regarded her…

Just who was this person who slumbered inside this cave?

It was beyond normal circumstances, that's definite.

Screeching echoed throughout the cave, and bats swarmed from the other chamber. They swarmed towards Yui, who scrambled to her feet in fright. She ran the hidden passageway which eventually led to the bright light. Stepping out of the cave was like taking her first step as a toddler.

Wind billowed through her hair and clothes, lifting her skirt in the autumn breeze. Yui took in everything around her with wide eyes and a parted mouth. She looked up at the sky and stretched her arms towards the sun. Unbeknownst to her, Shuu stood several paces back, watching her reaction with a flicker of interest.

Yui pushed back her cowl, allowing the breeze to play with her hair. She stared mournfully up at the heavens and finally allowed her tears to fall.

Beyond the light was a world even bigger than she ever imagined.

* * *

**A/N**: Like I said, this is totally experimental. I'm open to any thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Vampires are such interesting creatures, after all.

Shuu... he's definitely my baby. :D


	2. I Stole Your Prey

**A/N: **Wow. I was, like, not expecting to get any reviews at all! :D 5 reviews is great! Thanks for checking this out! I'll have you guys know I'm excited for the upcoming "Dark Fate" game. It's going to be a major improvement from "More Blood", I hope. I mean, like, I didn't hate the last game, but I felt like most of the story routes could've been improved or something... D:

Uwaaah. Shū is so much fun to write, but I have a hard time portraying his character sometimes. Mind you, in this chapter, he'll seem more motivated because of the full moon, but... anyway. Is he weird, guys? D: I tried to make the characters as natural as possible, but if there's something you'd like to tell me, then feel free to PM me! Any insight is nice!

_Italics:_ Yui's body "language", flashbacks, etc.

**Bold**: Monster dialogue

* * *

Just as the blond stranger appeared, he quickly left at the next daybreak in their makeshift camp, leaving Yui surprised but immensely relieved. He may have helped back in those strange ruins, but that didn't mean he was her friend. For all Yui knew, he was trapped in down there for who-knows-how-long! Goodness, it was better to veer clear of people like him.

Pulling herself up, she collapsed onto the stony ledge, gasping like a fish.

Yui wished for once in her life she could stop traveling on foot. What she would sacrifice for a horse!

Enjoying the autumn air was like biting into an apple: crisp and fresh. The rocky terrain was unbearable, tiring, and slippery, but the breathtaking beauty of the mountains made her mood improve slightly, and she even saw mountain goats prancing about.

Still, her journey towards Galesbarrow should've taken half a day's journey, but thanks to her lethargic pace, it wasn't until sunset that she finally arrived at the gates of Galesbarrow.

"Hold it. We don't allow vagrants. You don't look like you're from around here." Her heart increased when a stern-looking guard stopped her before she could step through the gates. She cautiously eyed the sword in his buckle, taking a slow step back. He sneered disdainfully at her, "The last thing we need is some walking disease entering our beautiful village."

Galesbarrow was a border village, and miles away from the town from where she came from. News traveled slow up in the East, lucky her. No one would recognize her here until it was too late, by then, she'd be out on the road again.

Yui, lowering her tattered cowl, finally revealed her face and attire, her father's cross dangling from her neck.

The guard's face lit up almost immediately at her striking presence, all hostility gone from his face. His eyes dropped to her ches-_er…_ cross. Bumbling and rendered speechless at having displayed nastiness to a holy and revered figure, he quickly cleared his throat.

"Ah! I beg your pardon, Sister. I'm wrong to interfere in your duties." He bowed and performed a cross ritual over his chest before wholly stepping aside, allowing her bustle into the lively marketplace.

Yui hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath the entire time until she finally relaxed, all but slumping against a nearby tree. Closing her eyes, she clutched her cross against her pounding chest, exhaling slowly. Then she observed the village in its nightly wake.

Firecrackers rang out like bursts of color.

Although it was nearing nighttime, the town was still buzzing with activity. Lanterns hung high like fireflies, strung up as since there was a festival. Families strolled in, and children played on the side of the roads. She watched as a girl and her father caught fireflies in jars, exclaiming as they released them into the air.

Their laughter created such a happy sight, making Yui's heart swell with longing and envy. She gazed at their enjoined hands.

_If only… we were still together._

Yui regained her senses and picked herself off the ground, bound on finding a church to sojourn until she replenished her supplies. Approaching the town billboard, she eyed the drawn map, trying to pinpoint the church's location with her finger.

Eden was all that mattered now.

* * *

Fog seeped into the Galesbarrow cemetery, surrounded by eerie gravestones and iron fencing. Oddly enough, it was part of the church garden that surrounded the holy and imposing building. High above the clouds, a lithe and able young man crouched in the shadow of a vicious stone gargoyle, watching the village's festivities from afar.

What a filthy world he woke in. All these humans… gathering like rats in a single area. Although the village was surrounded by lumbering trees that shielded this village, the volume of their festive music could still be heard for miles.

Running a hand through his windswept hair, he sighed before biting into his thumb harshly, drawing a bloody summoning circle on the shingles, watching as a bat puffed into existence with an annoyed shriek as it landed awkwardly on his knee.

Resting his chin into his palm, he blandly inquired, "Orion, how long have I been away?" The bat blinked before jumping to the gargoyle in a huff, hanging upside down.

"Figure it out yourself. How dare you summon me over something so trivial while I was sleeping," he snapped in a gravelly voice. "You still owe me mangos." Shū narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not about to travel all the way to the tropics without knowing anything. Don't anger me, bat." Shū warned. Orion cocked his furry head and regarded him with one intelligent eye.

"Or what? You'll run crying to your mother?"

In the calm of the night, smoldering blue eyes gleamed brightly. For a moment, his pupils shrank into gold slits.

"I will abandon you to Kanato." The bat shuddered and shook out his wings, and Shū caught genuine fear in his beady eyes.

"I've heard from your brothers that it's been well over a century since your father locked you away like the sleeping beauty you are, humph." he answered stiffly, quick to remind him of the reason, "If you'd moved at a faster pace to retrieve that ancient relic he so desired, your enemies wouldn't have stolen it, and none of this would've happened."

"A century… huh." That explained why the land looked so much different that how he remembered it to be. He sighed and raised his head towards the moonlit sky, "Do you know where I am?"

"Geographically speaking, no." The bat answered, "I haven't been summoned in over a decade. However, this land is lush and ripe with vegetation," His ears flicked out, "In addition, the humans here seem different… might I say… less gloomier than the ones that are enslaved in your homeland?"

Well, naturally.

Shū shifted his gaze downwards, looking past the window where the sleeping sister laid, curled up on the bench. Recalling her untimely arrival leading to his unwanted revival, he closed his eyes.

What a waste of time.

Shū dangled one of his earbuds from his fingers, staring down at her weary form. He had hoped that the mysterious sister who'd freed him from his slumber would possess valuable information about his current whereabouts. Instead, he'd accidentally followed a clueless little mute who apparently dug her own grave by venturing out here alone. She possessed the abilities and nature of a fawn: she was no more than a small and helpless creature.

Pathetic.

And yet… there was something… _odd_ about her. Something off. She did not behave in a befitting manner as many human women do, granted she was a sanctified sister, but. Her scent… its overwhelming aroma was enough to make his mouth water. Just thinking about it made his blood crawl in surprising restlessness, so he turned to other matters.

"Do you need me to pass a message to your clan? That you need someone to retrieve you?"

"There's no need for that. It's best to let them believe I'm still locked down in that place." Shū informed nonchalantly, yawning and laying down with his back facing the world.

The bat seemed confused, "Don't you wish to see your family? Your brothers, in particular. You're not worried about them?" Shū answered with another yawn. The familiar shook out his wings, "…It's still had to swallow that you're next in line to inherit your father's seat. So you intend to abandon your own blood and kin whose chances of survival weigh on your shoulders?"

With an exasperated snort, Shū craned his head to give him a disdainful glance, "I owe nothing to the ones who were in favor of burying me alive." he drawled lazily before his eyes widened slightly, "Hmm… I sense movement from underground." His nose burned from irritation, "Ugh. This foul stench…"

The bat inclined his head in realization, "This village has disrupted the spiders' nest from underground. Foolish. Building houses right above their catacombs…"

Taking a huge whiff of air, Shū exhaled slowly, "Wrong. It's not because of the festival." he curtly replied, eyes flickering down to the girl resting on the bench. Immediately, the bat understood. "Orion, take flight. You know what to do." At the sternness of his command, the mammal bowed and flew off into the night.

Slowly yet reluctantly getting to his feet, Shū licked his lips and at once, his canines and nails lengthened and sharpened into knives. The moon shone behind him, giving him a frightening appearance as his lip curled upwards in excitement. His smoldering blue gaze feasted hungrily on the sight of the lively town below him. The fresh smell of blood.

Chuckling darkly, he leaned far over the edge, "Interesting. Tonight's festivities will dye this town… in red. How very fun, indeed." Then he leaped.

* * *

Yui couldn't sleep that night.

_Bloody images of corpses littering the monastery and fire consuming her village into madness burned into her eyes, causing her to nearly vomit as she fell to her knees, covering her mouth as she fought to keep the bile from rising. She could still hear everyone screaming… the monsters tearing people to shred before her own eyes! People who were once her friends! People who…!_

_The girl collapsed to her knees, the basket of flowers she'd once been holding clattered to the floor, spilling red petals everywhere in the scorching air._

_Shadowy figures loomed over a young boy's corpse, feasting on his limbs… then, they perked up and slowly turned to face her with jagged grins, blood dripping from their chins._

_One of them purred in delight, "Ah… fresh meat. Here she is."_

_Her throat went dry, and her legs were rendered useless._

_She couldn't move!_

_Eyes wide and crazed with rapture, three of them started approaching her with open arms, cackling like hyenas._

"_**I'm scared… those things are going to eat me!"**_

"_YUI! RUN AWAY, YUI!"_

Yui shot up from the bench in a cold sweat. Her eyes went wide, and she trembled violently.

_This dream again…? Why? Why am I suddenly remembering that time, now of all times?_

Those fangs… and those glowing eyes…

Those things…! What were they?! The ones that raided her village all those years ago and slaughtered half her village? Her friends?

Her… home…

Blood-curdling screams rang clear in her mind's eye, along with tearing limbs. The monsters crowded her vision like shadows, reaching out to her with bloody limbs and maniacal grins. They beckoned her, taunted her-!

_**NO!**_ Yui nearly screamed and jolted, shaking herself into consciousness. Breathing heavily, she fought to keep herself together. Cold sweat poured down the nape of her neck as her knees quaked, biting her lip to prevent a scream from coming out. Was this it? Was she finally losing her mind?

No… she had to remain calm. She was in Galesbarrow now. No one would hurt her now… no one would come after her now… no one. Not the church council, not the traffickers… and certainly not those… _monsters._

The room was quiet except for the occasional flickering of the candles that hung near the pipe organ. Slowly, Yui felt her heavy eyelids start to fall Shūt.

She thought she heard screaming. Wearily, Yui sat up again to find the friar tersely looking out the window.

"SPIDERS!" A soldier kicked open the door with a bang. "Friar! Be prepared to keep women and children in here safe! We're rounding up men to fight back!" He ran back out before the Friar could reply. Yui ran to the window.

The bright moon illuminated the village's slaughter. Men tried to fend off the hairy beasts with unfamiliar weapons, but their numbers were few and quickly dwindled.

Carts were overturned, food spilling everywhere as people ran, screaming as large, hissing shapes emerged from the ground. The harlot dancers ran for the lives, only to be caught by the ankles when webbing shot out, their long nails scratched the floors as they were dragged into dark corners. Yui watched in horror as crying child was suddenly thrown in the middle of the road. As the small form tumbled to a dazed heap on the ground, a giant spider hissed and directed the needle of its abdomen at him, poison dripping from its hide.

A flashback of the dead boy from her dream shook her insides, causing her to scream mentally in anguish.

"_NO, DON'T-! _

_**KABOOM!**_

Her hand shot out, and without even realizing it, her eyes momentarily flashed red. Her mind seared as a rushing heat projected from her fingertips, and to her shock, a visible force impacted the spider, causing its body to go flying out of range.

"Bless my soul!" The friar cried. He latched the windows shut and ushered the women and children inside. Poor old sod, he looked like he was about to have a heart attack when he witnessed Yui climbing out the window. "NO, CHILD! GET DOWN FROM THERE!"

A loud crash startled her, and then she went tumbling from the ledge, landing in front of the catatonic child and scooping him up immediately. Gritting her teeth, she barely made it to the closing doors in time to hand the boy to the friar before something sharply yanked her by the ankle, tripping her and dragging her from the chapel's steps.

"Nnn...! NNGH!" Gasping and clawing, she tried to grab hold of something… anything! Her ankles were bound together, and as a last resort, she stabbed her knife into the ground.

It didn't work.

Dangling from a nearby store sign, she found herself strung up like meat, gasping and struggling frantically. It wasn't until eight beady eyes stared her down that she realized she'd been trapped like prey. It opened its jaws, ready to gobble her down to bits.

With a wordless cry, she managed to cut the threads coiling her ankles before the spider managed to even graze her.

Her landing wasn't pretty. She consumed a poultice she saved for emergencies, and within moments, she could stand properly. Her limbs felt brittle, but she was strong enough to run. Yui grabbed her pack from the ground and headed towards the abandoned stables. After a brief second of hesitance, she stabbed a small spider from behind to prevent it from chasing after an old woman accompanied by a feisty looking boy, possibly her grandson.

Several spiders attacked as Yui cut away at their silken chains that threatened to hinder her. Using her surroundings to her advantage, she moved behind a merchant's cart for cover, avoiding detection from their poor eyesight.

The village was in complete chaos. Thick ropes of spider webs now joined the moonlight to light the scene, greedily trapping the simple wooden buildings. The silken threads grew in tandem with the rise and fall of the screams piercing the air. To her right, she could see vanguards swarming to protect the chapel, huddled in a group as they faced off against a multitude of deadly, hissing arachnids. They were so many that it looked like they were caught within a mass of writhing bodies and glinting weapons.

Yui nearly doubled over, clutching her aching head with a hiss.

"_Why is this happening again? Every time I use that horrible power, I… my head feels like it's on fire!"_

Then, her mind produced an earth-shattering impact… or was it the spiders?

The stable crumbled to dust, on its knees, revealing a horrific sight. Horses were strung up like balloons, trapped in the biggest, most intricate web she's ever seen. Spiders were everywhere, feasting on the poor animals. The web thickened around her, trapping her like prey once again.

There was nowhere left to run.

A terrifying blast of killing intent and sharp teeth hit her from behind. The numbing shock was too much for her overtaxed body. Yui felt her legs finally give way, and she toppled forward. She could do nothing as her entire body was coiled in multiple layers of thread before being strung high above, hanging upside down while fruitlessly struggling, just like a butterfly caught in a trap.

The wind rushed through her hair as she was launched forward, flung through patterns of thick web that entrapped her body and muffled her mouth.

Foul breath hit her nostrils, causing her insides to churn. Eight hairy legs came into view, and she found herself face-to-face with the biggest spider of them all. With the largest body in the girl accompanied with a woman's demonic face, she was the Spider Queen. Other spiders of all shapes and sizes surrounded them.

"**Mother…! This is the pure divinity! This girl!"**

Spinning around Yui like a dancer, the queen cackled with hissing glee. **"Ssss… the divinity! No, no, my children. She is food."**

"_Food…!"_ Yui panicked, her muscles screaming with pain when she tried to move. She mentally screamed when a spider crawled across her face. She couldn't stand the sweltering confinement of the webbing, it was boiling hot… she felt like she was being roasted alive in a pot.

"**Your smell… your presence… it shook us to the very core, and so we came. Came to feast… Must feed!"**

"_I can't move! It's no use! Where's my knife?!"_ Yui caught a glimpse of something shining on the ground, and her heart fell in despair. She couldn't move or reach it. Tears stung her eyes from the strain and fear of being caged like this. _"What am I going to do?"_

"**But this girl alone is barely a meal for one such as myself… and all of you, my dearest children."** The queen dangled her body over the lumbering tower, prodding her with a hairy leg. **"Now this whole village! ALL OF THEM IS A FEAST!"** Shrieking at the top of her lungs, she commanded the spiders to attack the chapel, **"NOW FEAST!"**

Yui could only watch helplessly as all the spiders took down the remaining guards, knocking them to the ground and feeding off their energy. Their faces drained, and their limbs went limp as they faded out of existence. Soon, liquefied people were strung up like balloons.

"**And now… you, the one with the mouth-watering aroma," **The queen gave her a twisted smile, snapping her jaws, "**You're mine!"** Right before her mouth could descend on her, a familiar sigh resonated.

"What a racket. You'd think spiders were supposed to be quiet and graceful creatures, but not in your case."

Yui's eyes widened.

That voice…

The spider queen immediately retracted with a snarl, glaring past Yui. Summoning all her strength, she managed to incline her head where a young man stood on top of the chapel's roof, hanging off the gargoyle like a strange animal.

"**WRETCHED VAMPIRE!"** The queen shrieked in disgust, scuttling in front of Yui, **"This prey, this girl, she's mine! You won't lay a hand on what I've already claimed! BEGONE!"**

_Vampire…?_

Yui turned her head to him in confusion, eyebrows crinkling. To her surprise, she witnessed a pair of fangs obscenely protruding from his mouth as he licked his lips.

"Hehh. Now, that won't do…" The blond hummed thoughtfully with a fanged grin, looking the queen as if she were dirt. "Because of you and your dirty pawns, there aren't any humans left for me to feed on." He cocked his head towards the crumbling chapel. Screams could be heard from inside, causing Yui to shamefully looked away, anguish clear in her eyes.

"**Then find another village! This human is mine to be eaten!"** The queen snapped, venom spewing from her jaws. Her arms tightened around Yui's form, squeezing until she could scarcely breathe.

"_Eaten? They're… arguing over who'll eat me! This can't be happening!"_ Her cross dangled from her neck as she hung in mid-air, gasping soundlessly and begging relentlessly, _"Help! God help me! I don't want to be eaten!"_

A dark chuckle escaped from the vampire, "Hey, you there, little girl…" Yui suddenly stopped thrashing long enough to spare him a terrified glance. His ice-blue eyes appeared to dance at her fear, and he flashed her a jagged grin, "Look at you, squirming helplessly like a butterfly trapped in that web. It's hopeless no matter how you look at it…" he breathed the last part, hanging off the edge completely, "This is just like last time when you ran from those men. You've been completely ensnared."

"Mmfff… Mmmmff!" Yui tried to unravel herself by whatever means, but it just like the vampire said, she couldn't break free.

Shū's eyes gleamed brightly. His boots clinked with each step as he leapt across the sky with the grace of mountain lion. He stood right before them on the roof of a trader's store, smiling lazily at her.

"Watching you struggle so desperately… the look on your face tells me you want to cry out with all your might, but you can't. Such an expression… I'm not against that." His smile broadened into a slashed grin, his fangs gleaming menacingly, "I've decided. If you wish to prolong your life a little longer, then become my blood slave."

In that moment, Yui forgot how to breathe. She didn't exactly know what he meant by… blood slave, but a wave a dread washed over her as her mind ran over the possibilities; none of them were good.

"**NEVER! YOU WON'T CLAIM HER SHE'S MINE!"** The queen howled in anguish. She spun in circles, shooting web at him from her spinnerets. In a blink of an eye, he clawed the silk ropes to shreds. He, not even batting an eye, looked past the arachnid and towards Yui with a smirk.

"So, what are you going to do? Considering your position, can you really refuse me? Would you rather die in the pathetic state you're in, or become mine? Choose wisely."

Yui hesitated, the ravaging spiders around her increasing by the number. Jolting from shock and fear, she arched her body away from their descending jaws in desperation, eyes wide with frantic desperation.

"_No… I can't die like this! I don't want to be eaten! I won't! I…!" _Her teary coral eyes met laughing blue irises. The smell of ashes and blood made her head reel, causing her to nearly heave. Sweat ran down the base of her neck as she bit her lip and nodded frantically, reaching out towards him before her vision crawled with spiders. _"I'll do it! I'll do it, you hear me?! PLEASE JUST HELP ME!"_

The moonlight illuminated the dark grin that contorted Shū's face, and he leered sardonically at the furious spider queen.

"There's nothing left for you. That prey, she belongs to me now."

Within seconds, a flurry of shrieking bats exploded from the supposedly wrapped prey, bursting from the seams of the web that caged the entire town. The bats extended their claws and snatched up the spiders into the night, ripping them away from the chapel and consuming them whole.

The web tore like fabric, and everything quickly came undone.

The queen howled in fury and anguish, **"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! MY BABIES! MY FOOD! MY-!"** She was immediately cut off when Shū, licking his chops, slew her with his claws, reveling in the bloody sight before him.

Staring coldly at her corpse, his eyes narrowed. "Rather than picking off what belongs to us vampires, you and your filthy, noisy allegiance are better off as fodder for my bats. Lesser creatures should be silenced forever." With that said, he kicked the queen's lifeless body with such force that he nearly sent her flying out of the village if not for Orion snatching her with his talons, gobbling her to pieces.

With another grin, Shū leaped from the roof and plodded below Yui's petrified form. With his claws drawn, he leaped above her in a flash and plunged into the liquefying ropes, tearing the entire web to shreds and nearly ripping her clothes in the process. She felt the sensation of falling until colliding against something cold and firm: the vampire had caught her.

Upon seeing him properly for the first time, she realized that there was no way she would mistake him as a human anymore, not when he revealed his true form under the waning moon. Bats claimed and consumed the village with their wings, casting a shadow over the buildings.

Icy blue eyes regarded her callously, running up and down every nook and cranny of her petrified form. His features were too pale and sharp to belong to any ordinary human. He held her up with the delicacy of an sculptor, but judging by how his arms rippled with muscles and power, she felt as though he could crush her any second (if he so chose to, which she certainly hoped he wouldn't!). Blood stained his strange clothes, along with his hair and face, yet he didn't appear the least bit bothered. Fangs protruded obscenely from his lips, and his claws dug into her arms as he tightened his hold.

"Your scent is savory…" His breath fanned her face, causing her to erupt into a flustered state. She wanted to move or push him out of the way, or something! But for some reason, she couldn't move. "Since yesterday, you've been flaunting your hollow independence, just begging to be claimed. I'm tempted to take a bite." His voice was a hard rumble against her ear, his hair tickling her cheeks as she went three shades redder.

W-W-What did he think he was doing?! How dare he!

This was no time to be embarrassed though!

Summoning all the strength she had left, she jabbed her elbow into his stomach as hard as she could, expecting him to choke and release her, instead, his reaction went beyond her expectations.

His heart-stopping, fanged grin became the crescent moon as he chuckled against her throat.

"Oh? Do I sense rebellion in my new toy? That's no good." He nipped the cut on her cheek, making her flinch. He gripped her hair and forcefully pulled her into a dip, causing her to gasp in horror and disbelief. The smell of blood wafted her into her lungs, choking her as his fangs brushed against her throat, "I'll teach you the first lesson on behaving."

"_What… no! What's happening?!" _Yui froze in horror when he harshly pierced his canines into the junction of her shoulder and drank.

At first she felt nothing. Then an excruciating pain overpowered her mind, and she threw her head back with a stifled cry. It felt as though her neck were on fire. Throughout the first horrible moments, she struggled fruitlessly against her new captor, trying to push him away but to no avail. The harder she thrashed, the more painful and tight his grip became. He drank from her greedily, not letting one drop escape. Eventually, she felt her strength draining and went limp. Her senses were numbed, and she could barely even move. By the time he finally let her collapse to the ground, her consciousness was already ebbing away.

"Heh heh heh." The vampire's face broke into a lazy smirk as he cocked his head at her, "Now I understand why you managed to awaken me. Your blood is of the finest quality… you match my tastes perfectly, it's unbelievably accurate… how unnerving…" He watched as blood trailed down her neck, his eyes burning. She felt him lift her head to reach his hungry mouth, the cold sensation of his tongue trailing down her neck, and she began quaking like a rabbit. She had no strength left to push him away.

Yui's eyes welled with tears as she gazed up at the moon in despair, _"Why? I was starting to think that you were different… not like… any of those men."_ Tears dripped from her lashes as she moaned in pain, _"Could this be my punishment for being cowardly… and weak? For being a liar?"_ Her eyes fell on the fallen cross that seemed more than a burden resting against her breast, and she tasted the bitterness welling in her mouth,_ "Father… is this what I deserve?"_

"Make no mistake, I am a vampire, contrary to your prior beliefs." Shū informed, looking as though he could read her mind. Blood dripped from his chin, but he made no move to brush it aside. He looked down on her with all the mock sympathy in the world, smiling viciously through jagged teeth. "Aahhh, the moon makes my blood pump during times like these. I lose my mind when I'm influenced like this. The moon and your blood, along with being locked away for so long… but in the end, I suppose you were worth the wait." He pulled her up by the arm, watching her dangle like a lifeless doll. He hummed thoughtfully. "You managed to resist the spider's venom for a long time. You're just now taking the full effect? You're stubborn, I'll give you that."

Yui felt her eyes drifting shut, and she hung her head back, too exhausted to care even when he lifted her into the air or when the shrieking of bats echoed in her ears. Her energy drained from her completely.

"Hmm, well done. You've made this an exciting night for me. As retribution, I'll show you a whole new world." Vaguely, she felt something sharp against crevice between her neck and shoulder. "If you hadn't woken me up, then none of this would've happened to you. This is your punishment for awakening me…"

That was hardly any of her fault…!

An icy, breathy laugh fanned against her ear. "Now… sleep."

She'd been struggling to stay awake the entire time, but it wasn't until he said last word that she finally succumbed to a deep, dark, cold slumber.

One that she wished she could never awaken from.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, that was fun. OW. A. RI. Okay, I'm not sure when, but the other Sakamaki brothers, along with the Mukami brothers will appear. :D It won't be too long, but there's also a surprise awaiting you all when Subaru pops up. ;) Okay, also, is it alright if I add some Original female characters on the side? That's the only sad thing about Diabolik lovers... there's hardly any girls Yui gets to interact with as a support girl talk 'thing'. Us girls need girls, y'know? Well? What do you guys think?


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